Seeing eye-to-eye – a small biotech company’s work with the University of Liverpool

Researchers at the University of Liverpool are working with biomaterial technology company Biomer Technology Ltd to investigate a potential treatment for age-related macular degeneration. The disease is the main cause of vision loss among elderly people in the developed world, affecting up to half a million people in the UK alone.

During their first collaborative research project they studied the behaviour of eye cells taken from pigs grown on to polymer membranes. Combining their expertise in biomaterials development and ocular cell biology allowed the scientists to find the best combination of cells and material for transplantation. The research was carried out in close collaboration with the St Paul's Eye Unit at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital in order to investigate the potential for translating this work into a clinical treatment of the disease.

This initial piece of work has led to further joint projects and the development of a product ready for preclinical safety trials.